Feminist Theology Group

We are five women studying feminist theology and how trauma specifically impacts women’s bodies. Katie, Charis, Lauren, Alex and I (Bethany) are excited to engage trauma through the lens of our intrapersonal work and future therapeutic world. We chose the book by Stephen Levine, Poiesis: The Language of Psychology and the Speech of the Soul, due to its unique bent. We are all fairly familiar with the other trauma resource options, and how trauma can impact the human body, neurobiology and psyche of women (we are still all novices, but hoping for more language). Levine’s work focuses on how the arts can be used to interact with our trauma filled bodies in a disarming and beautiful way. These arts include poetry, painting, dance, etc.. The five of us are all entering into the therapeutic encounter space in the next couple years, and are desiring unique and non-cognitive ways to allow our future clients healing and movement toward integration.

As we read and allow the feminist readings to flow over us, we urge one another to bring our experiences as women into the conversation. Though our threads are tangled together, we all bring different experiences and stories which will be honored and valued. In our conversation last week, we made the commitment to bring outside resources that we have discovered in the past or in our present that resonate with our topics. This is a way we can engage the continual wisdom and knowledge surrounding trauma and feminist theology, as well as getting to know one another.